


Darkness Before the Dawn

by ArianAngel95



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action, Angels, Demons, Dragons, F/M, Magic, Original Fiction, Romance, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:55:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26621746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArianAngel95/pseuds/ArianAngel95
Summary: When your life goes to hell in a handbasket, all you can do is roll with the punches. But when hell itself comes for you and you're meant to save the world, you gotta do more than simply roll with it. Ariel has glimpsed the darkness but now she must survive it. Things will only get harder as she faces her enemy and if she fails, the world falls with her. Sequel to As the Sun Sets.





	Darkness Before the Dawn

Chapter 1

The room was dark, except for a small candle on the bedside table. I could just make out the shadowed shapes of the quiet room as I slipped inside the door. I silently made my way towards the bed and sat down in the chair beside the bed in the candle's warm glow. Mike moved around the bed as he checked Christophe's vitals. "Is he any better?" I asked in a voice so quiet I was surprised he heard me.

Mike nodded and continued working, focused on his task. Finally, after a few moments of silence, he straightened and looked at me with cool eyes. "Shade wounds are extremely difficult to heal," he informed me in a clinical voice. "They wound not only the body but the spirit as well. He is doing well considering he hasn't been tortured by shades before, but his progress is slow due to the demonic chains he was held in. Those chains from hell will burn anything angelic, no matter how small. In our case, the worse it burns than the purer your blood."

"Did they burn him badly?" I asked as I looked at Christophe's gauze covered wrists where his arms laid over the covers. I wonder if I could have saved him sooner.

"Yes and no," Mike lectured. "While his burns are bad due to his strong blood, these wounds are also the result of him yanking against the chains. If he hadn't struggled against them, then the chains would have just burned him instead of actually cutting into his skin."

I glanced over Christophe's chest and tried not to let my tears show. He had a large cut down the center of his chest that stretched from collar bone to belly button and the rest of his torso was peppered with small star shaped cuts that almost looked like burns. Mike had told me the star shaped cuts were from the shades but someone else had done the rest of the damage. His body was deeply bruised and scratched from a beating that I was sure someone else enjoyed. I wished I had gotten to him sooner.

Once I had summoned Michael, we had transported to Salt Lake City. Michael told me it had something to do with minimizing the number of entrances into purgatory, but I hadn't quiet grasped the concept. Unfortunately, I had a feeling that the ambush that had been waiting for us had something to do with that. Christophe hadn't quite managed to get through the teleporting and had fallen unconscious while we had been attacked, leaving Michael and I to fend for ourselves and protect him. We fought as hard as we could, but it wasn't until dawn began to break that we were actually able to get out of there. Once the sun's rays lit the sky, Michael grabbed me and Christophe and dropped us off at the manor back in England.

Mike had been furiously pacing in the library when Michael dropped us off in front of him. He had been startled at first then relieved until he saw the mess we were. Then he got angry, very angry. He cursed and ranted about how stupid the plan had been and how dangerous it was and how ill prepared I was while he tended to Christophe. By the time he got around to treating my concussion, bruised ribs and cuts, he had fallen into a sulky silence. Since then, he had been giving me the cold shoulder. While he had gotten Christophe settled in his room, I had taken a shower and taken a cat nap but for some reason I felt like I couldn't stay away from Christophe for very long. Now that I was clean and taken care of, my worry had returned full force.

"Has Lucifer ever captured anyone like me?" I asked as I pulled my legs to my chest in the chair and wrapped my arms around them.

Mike sighed and final gave me his full attention now that he was sure Christophe was doing well. "Once he captured a warrior, a Guardian of great importance at the time," he said as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. "The Guardian was next in line for a position on the Counsel and the night before his promotion, Lucifer set a trap to capture him. We tried everything we could to get him back but by the time we got to him, it was too late. Lucifer had broken him and made him a shade. The balance of power shifted that night and not for then better. I can only imagine how bad it would be if he got his hands on one of the females."

"So, what would happen to me if he were to really catch me?" I asked though I dreaded the answer.

"In your case," Mike clarified with a shrug. "The world would end." Then his eyes narrowed as he glanced at my throat. "Michael never took back the necklace?"

I shook my head and fiddled with the crystal heart pendant. "I tried to take it off before I showered but there isn't a clasp anymore," I told him.

"I think Michael left it to you as a safeguard," he said as he bent as pulled the covers over Christophe's chest. "That way if you do get caught, someone can get to you."

I yawned and nodded. Mike sighed and handed me a blanket before he turned and walked out of the room. Sighing, I wrapped the blanket around me, tucking it in to make a cocoon around me. I shifted a little to get more comfortable and then simply stared at Christophe's relaxed profile. If only I could have gotten to him sooner, then maybe he wouldn't have been injured as badly as he had been. Slowly, the warmth of the blanket seeped into my body and my eyes drifted closed as my body dragged me to sleep.

* * *

My head ached as I forced my eyes to open. The room smelled familiar and the dim light didn't pierce my eyes like I expected it to. Someone knew who they were dealing with. I glanced around and recognized the familiar shapes and layout of my room in my English manor home. I relaxed as the feeling of comfort washed over me as a new smell filled my lungs. Moonlight and rain; Ariel. I turned my head and smiled at what I saw. Ariel was curled up in a chair beside my bed with a blanket wrapped around her. One leg was tossed over the armrest with a sock covered foot peeking out and one shoulder was bare from where the blanket had slipped from its spot. I chuckled softly when I saw that she had taken one of my shirts to sleep in and couldn't hide the warm possessive feeling that filled me at the sight. Her hair gleamed in the candlelight and her features seemed even more ethereal in the dim flickering light. Her skin seemed airbrushed and silky smooth, her lashes darker crescents against her cheeks, and her lips a dusty golden rose that begged to be kissed.

Arian hummed in agreement and slowly reached out to her mind. Something inside her reached back before disappearing as she sighed and slowly opened her eyes. She looked at me with a stormy blue gray gaze and smiled. "Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"I'm fine," I said despite the aching pain that was shooting through my body with each breath. "What about you?"

She shrugged. "I'm good," she lied.

I laughed shortly. "I don't believe you," I said patting the edge of the bed. "Come here."

She sighed heavily before gently getting out of the chair and sitting on the bed. I brushed some of her hair aside, savoring the way the strands curled around my fingers; and gently touched the cut on her forehead. She closed the eye under the cut but didn't react otherwise. I moved my hand around to the back of her head, loving the soft feeling of her hair as the strands wrapped around my fingers, and felt the knot and cut. She winced at the feather light touch. I pulled my hand back and noticed the careful way she breathed. I placed my hand on her ribs and pushed gently, immediately pulling back when she hissed in pain. "What happened?" I asked.

"One followed me," she began. "The other was waiting in an alley. The first pulled back when the second grabbed me. I was able to render the second unconscious, but the other body checked me into the wall. Then Lucifer showed up. He choked me and slammed mt head against the wall."

"What did Mike say?" I questioned.

"Bruised ribs and a concussion," she answered shyly.

I sighed and shook my head. Dark circles were under her eyes and I knew that it was dangerous for her to sleep alone, let alone in a chair. I lifted the covers and slowly moved over. "Climb in," I said in a quiet voice that was meant to comfort her.

"You're hurt more than I am," she said with a shake of her head. "I'll be fine on the sofa."

"Ariel," I said slowly. Stubborn woman, I thought. "Get in. I will be fine, but a concussion is nothing to joke about."

She looked like she was going to argue before sighing and sliding under the covers. I wrapped one arm around her and rested her head on my shoulder. She held perfectly still at first before relaxing and falling asleep. Arian hummed in contentment. Tired and sore, I let my body rest and allowed myself to get some sleep as well while Arian monitored my room while I slept.

Arian woke me up a while later when someone walked into the room. I opened my eyes and watched as Mike moved through the room to the chair beside my bed. "Glad to see you awake," he said as he sat down.

I grunted. "I hate this," I grumbled.

Mike laughed softly. "Maybe not as much as usual though," he said nodding to Ariel who still lay in my arms.

I cursed to Mike's amusement but didn't correct him. It was a little easier to let my body heal when I had her nearby. "What happened?" I asked a minute later. "How did she get away from you?"

Mike sighed and closed his eyes, a look of anger briefly flashing across his face. "The best guess I have is that Michael approached her and they came up with a plan," he groused in annoyance. "He must have transported her back to Salt Lake and then let her allow herself to be caught."

"I have a hard time believing that he wanted to do that," I said quietly as I brushed some of Ariel's hair out of her face. "I know she wanted to help but she shouldn't have put herself at risk."

"I agree," Mike sighed. "I talked to her about it earlier in the day. She really thought that it was her fault that you were caught. I've never seen anyone feel that guilty over something that is beyond their control. It made it hard to stay angry with her."

"Can you sense her other half yet?" I asked quietly. Arian stirred in my thoughts at the inquiry, eager for the answer.

Mike was quiet for a moment, his green eyes narrowing in concentration. "It's there but I can't tell what it is yet." He focused back on me. "You said that you think it's a dragon."

I nodded. "Her eyes changed for a moment on the plane before it went down and there isn't another line that has eyes like that," I stated matter of factually.

"I wonder if she will have the original's ability to be a part of any line," Mike said quietly. "I would think that if anyone would have the ability, it would be her."

I nodded. "She might." I was quiet for a minute as I thought about the possibility of her being able to shift to any form. It could be an advantage to be able to change into any form, but I loved being a dragon. The joy of flying and the strength of Arian's form couldn't compare to anything in the world. Arian grumbled and I had to amend the thought: only holding Ariel was better than that.

"You need to wake her up," Mike said quietly. I glared at him and he held his hands up in defense. "Just enough to wake her up. Her concussion wasn't horrible, but it still needs to be watched. Just get her to swat at you."

Sighing because I knew he was correct; I gently shook Ariel's shoulder. She grumbled and rolled over, away from me, before settling down again. "Ariel," I whispered quietly in her ear as I shook her shoulder again.

"What?" she murmured sleepily as she pulled the covers closer.

I looked at Mike, who nodded. "Nothing," I whispered. "Go back to sleep." She growled faintly before falling asleep again. I smiled and brushed my lips against her hair in a light kiss. Mike laughed quietly before stifling it when I glared at him. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?" I growled.

"Not really," Mike said in amusement. "Why? Do you want me to leave?"

"Yeah, actually, I do," I grumbled.

He laughed and stood. "I'll be back in an hour or so to check on her," he informed me as he walked towards the door.

"Fine, just be quiet," I muttered.

Mike laughed but nodded as he closed the door behind him. I took a deep breath and slowly turned onto my side. Arian hummer in pleasure as I gently pulled Ariel closer and wrapped my arms around her. She sighed and curled in closer, trusting me in her sleep when she held back while awake. I wished her sweet dreams in my natural, birth language before closing my eyes and falling asleep beside her.

* * *

I was wet, cold, frustrated, and not getting anywhere. I lined up my shot again, took a deep breath, and squeezed the trigger. As soon as I opened both eyes, I knew I has missed my target. "Damn it," I growled.

"Do it again," Christophe said in a bored tone. "You changed the picture again. Focus."

I bit back my smart-ass reply. The day had started out nice. I woke up in Christophe's arms, safe and warm. We ate breakfast and then he brought me out to the range. While loading ammunition into magazines, it had begun storming and now I had been shooting, in the rain, for four hours and fired almost a hundred rounds. I set my sights, made sure the optic was correctly aligned, breathed deeply, and squeezed the trigger.

"Miss," Christophe called.

"I know that," I snapped at him.

"Then fix it," he countered as Mike approached.

"How is she doing?" I heard him ask as I fired another shot.

"Hasn't grouped them yet," Christophe told him. "She keeps this up and she will not do it today." I fired another shot. "It's on the target but missed the grouping ring."

"I can see that," I called over my shoulder as I dropped the magazine and picked up a full one.

I heard Christophe sigh in aggravation. "Let me try something," Mike said. "Go over a few lanes, Christophe, and let me talk to her."

Christophe muttered something under his breath, but I listened as he got up and walked a few lanes over. Mike laid down beside me in the coaching position, perpendicular to me. "How are you doing?" he asked quietly.

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. "How do you think I'm doing?" I asked sarcastically. "I've been here for hours and still haven't grouped the damn shots."

Mike smiled mysteriously. "Remember what you told me when you were shooting archery?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied as I prepared to fire another shot.

"Then humor me," he said as he blocked my trigger well with a finger. "Take a good look at the target." I rolled my eyes but did as he asked. The target was about fifty meters away, taped to a green silhouette on a stand. "Now puck up the rifle." I set my rifle in my shoulder and tucked my head in. "Now close your eyes and fire three rounds."

I glanced at him. "Are you serious?" I asked.

He nodded. "Just do it and trust yourself," he said.

With a sigh, I looked at the target one last time before closing my eyes. I evened my breathing and made a few small adjustments to my position before firing off three rounds in rapid succession. I opened my eyes and looked at the target. Two hits, one on the forehead and one in the chest. "Damn it," I sighed.

Mike laughed. "Your third shot followed the second and hit the exact same spot," he chuckled. "If that had been a person. He wouldn't have survived. Do it again."

I repeated the process uncertainly. Once I had fired, I looked at the target. "Did I miss?" I asked when I saw no new bullet holes.

"No," Christophe said quietly behind me. He knelt down beside me and pointed at the target. "You hit the exact same spots," he said before looking at Mike. "How did you..."

Mike smiled mysteriously. "You didn't see her shoot a bow," he said simply. "My guess it that she has an inner sense of aim that doesn't come through when her eyes are open with modern weapons. But when she picks up an older art, its spot on despite her lack of experience."

Christophe looked at me before walking towards the field house. "Put the rifle to the side," he called as he disappeared into the field house. I looked at Mike questionably, and he simply shrugged, but I did as he asked. Christophe reappeared with his arms full of weapons. Swords, knives, bows, spears, he brought them all over to the lane and set them on the ground. He handed me a set of throwing knives and pointed at the target. "Throw them," was all he said.

I gently tossed the daggers in my hand to find the balance before pulling my arm back and throwing the dagger at the target. It flew through the air, flipping end over end, before slicing smoothly into the chest of the silhouette. I repeated the process four more times and each dagger lodged itself in the target's chest. Christophe didn't say anything as he switched out the targets and then handed me three spears.

We slowly worked our way through each weapon, despite the rain, and each one I threw or shot, hit the target in the chest. Once we were done with throwing and shooting, he led me into the field house and onto the training sands. He handed me a sword, hilt first, before swinging his own at me. He worked me through various ancient close combat weapons. He never said a word and Mike stood at the edge of the sands as a quiet observer, a small smile on his face. Finally, I fell to my knees as my muscles gave out in exhaustion. I was covered in sweat and couldn't seem to catch my breath. I brushed some of my hair out of my face, simultaneously wiping away sweat, and looked up at Christophe. He stood with his legs braced shoulder width apart in a warrior's stance, his chest bare except for the gauze that covered his still healing wounds. His eyes were a dark silver with a slitted pupil, so I knew that Arian was watching though Christophe was in control. I had been surprised that he had been able to move like a cobra striking but, now that I thought about it, I realized this was probably child's play to him. "Are we done?" I asked breathlessly.

He looked at me for a minute before nodding slowly. "For now," he said. "I think I have a good idea on what you need to work on." He turned and looked at Mike. They had a silent conversation before Christophe nodded and walked into the armory.

"What was that about?" I asked as Mike helped me up.

He steadied me as I swayed before regaining my balance. "Nothing you need to worry about," he said with a smile.

"I'm getting really tired of that answer," I growled.

He laughed and took my weapon, a strangely shaped sword with razor sharp edges. "Go take a shower and then we will get some food," he ordered gently.

Mumbling about how bossy the two of them were under my breath, I walked out of the field house and into the lightly drizzling cold rain, headed towards the main house. The cold water on my heated skin cause goosebumps to cover my bare arms and shivers to scurry down my spine. Screw it, I thought as I shook myself before sprinting towards the house, eager to be out of the rain. I burst into the kitchen and turned rapidly to close the door before the rain could get in. Just as the door clicked shut, I felt that someone else was in the room. Tensing, I turned and looked at the person lounging against the island with a cup of coffee in her hands as if she owned the place. She was gorgeous, with glossy, curly brown hair and designer jeans and a silky green blouse clinging to her. Her nails were perfectly manicured and she wore expensive heeled boots, but her brown eyes were flat, cold, and calculating. She glared at me with distaste, as if I were a lowly peasant that was far beneath her and didn't deserve to be in her presence. Suddenly, a snide voice in my head reminded me that I would never look as beautiful as she did, that I really didn't belong here. Here she was perfectly glossed and poised while I stood before her looking like a drowned rat. My jeans were wet and the hems muddy from shooting and working in the training arena. My t-shirt was sweaty under the dampness of the rain and my hair had half escaped my ponytail in a tangled mess. I was no where near her caliber of beauty, regardless of the ugliness of her spirit that I could sense pouring from her.

"Who are you?" she demanded to know in a smooth voice, pulling me from my thoughts.

I crossed my arms across my chest, determined not to let her or the voice in my head make me feel inferior to her. "I have a better question," I told her sternly. "Who are you and why are you here?"

She smiled like the Cheshire cat. "I'm Trina, Christophe's girlfriend," she replied as if she was speaking to a simpleton.

I rolled my eyes as her words rang false in my ears. "Riiight," I drawled out in annoyance. "And I'm the Queen of Shiba." I met her hard brown gaze. "Let's try this again. Who are you and why are you here?"

Trina glared at me and I suddenly had a bad feeling. Something wasn't right here but I couldn't quite put my finger on it…. It was something important… Something about this place… "Where is my darling, Christophe?" Trina demanded, pulling me from my train of thought, not bothering to try an be nice now. I simply shrugged and decided to let her have the rope to hang herself. "Listen here, you little rat," she growled as she walked towards me after placing her coffee on the island. "You had better tell me where he is or so help me, I will make your life a living hell. And you had best remember to keep your dirty, slimy hands away from him."

I was just about to reply to her threat when the door behind me opened and Trina's entire demeanor changed. Gone was the threatening calculated bitch and in her place was a seemingly wide eyed innocent. "Darling!" she cried happily as she flew around me towards Christophe. I turned to watch as Christophe tried to fend her off with annoyance on his face while Mike moved around them with an angry expression on his face.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Christophe questioned forcefully as he shoved Trina away from him.

"Well, I was in the neighborhood shopping and I decided to come and visit you," she replied pleasantly with a flirtatious toss of her hair.

Christophe and Mike exchanged a loaded glance. "How did you know where I was?" he asked in a deadly calm voice as his pupils became slitted. Suddenly, I remembered why this situation had felt wrong to me. Mike had assured me when we first arrived that only he and Christophe knew that this place even existed. That no one would be able to find us. But yet Trina had….

"Well…. I…" Trina stuttered as a look of panic flashed across her face before she fiddled with her shirt and looked over her nails. "IT doesn't really matter how I knew. I'm just happy to be here with you, darling."

"Trackers," Mike said quietly as his eyes hardened. "She had to have used them. That's the only way she could have known. She must have slipped them to one of us in our food back at HQ."

Trina glared at Mike. "How dare you accuse me of-" she started before Christophe interrupted her.

Faster than I had seen him move before, Christophe had Trina pinned painfully against the island with her arms behind her. He spoke so quietly and calmly that his tone only showed just how dangerous he could be. "It doesn't matter what he says if it is true," he nearly hissed. Trina closed her eyes and looked away from him as he spoke almost in her ear. "You deliberately tracked a Guardian and put his charge at risk. You know that the enemy has the means to follow such a signal. You have selfishly put us all at risk."

"But darling," she murmured softly. "I just wanted to see you."

Again, her words rang false in my ears. "You're lying," I whispered quietly. Christophe's eyes snapped to mine and Mike looked at me with wide eyes. I stared at Trina. "You wanted something else too. Something that you would trade to get what you wanted, regardless of the cost. Our location."

Christophe glanced at Mike, who nodded in agreement, before standing and releasing Trina. With one curt command in that language I had learned was inherent to shifters, five huge men suddenly appeared in the kitchen. They were all attractive and wore matching clothes of designer jeans and tight fitting deep green shirts. "Your charge had deliberately tracked a Guardian and put his mission at risk," Christophe growled as he crossed his arms and glared at them. "Did any of you have knowledge of her activities?"

The men looked at each other, small looked of confusion on their faces. Finally, one stepped forward. "We had no such knowledge, Draco," he answered respectfully with a bow.

"Then none of you or your brethren will be punished," Christophe replied sternly. "But understand this, if I find out that you have lied to me, you will be punished to the fullest extent of the law."

The men nodded and all bowed to Christophe. "What are your orders, Draco?" the man in front asked.

"Your charge broke the law. Take her into custody and return her immediately to HQ for an investigation. Do not speak to her. Do not comfort her. She is a prisoner."

The men bowed again before turning and coldly seizing a stunned Trina. "Christophe… Darling…" Trina whispered as they pulled her from the room. Christophe turned his back to her and began talking to Mike in their native language. The look on Trina's face morphed from shock to pure anger as she turned her head to glare at me. Hatred stared from her brown eyes and I knew that this would not be the last that I saw of her as she vanished from my sight.

"We need to leave," Christophe's quiet comment pulled me from where I was staring at the empty doorway. "This isn't a safe location anymore. The techs will have to clear it."

"And I need to be sure we are clear before we move," Mike agreed. "Otherwise anything we do will be in vain."

Christophe shook his head. "She wouldn't have tracked Ariel," he hissed. "That would be suicide."

"I still have to check her," Mike growled, the sound almost like a lion's warning growl.

They stared at each other for a few tense minutes before Christophe sighed in aggravation. "Fine. Outside now."

Mike nodded and walked back out the kitchen door, tossing his clothes as he went. Christophe grabbed my hand and pulled me back into the cold rain. I looked away from Mike and peeked up at Christophe from the corner of my eye. He was angry but I could sense that worry and possessiveness were the root of his anger. His eyes were reptilian slits and his fingers had already shifted into talons where he held my hand. Arian wasn't happy about what was about to happen. Suddenly, he glanced down at me and I saw how much power he possessed in his eyes. "Ready?" Mike asked in our minds.

I turned and looked at where Mike had been standing. A proud griffin stood in his place. He had the body of a lion, but the head of a falcon and strong wings extended from his back in an almost prideful display. His fur was light gold, his feathered wings deepening to a dark brown at the tips, and his green eyes sparkled like emeralds. He stood about as tall as a sixteen-hand tall horse and held himself regally. "Just be quick," Christophe growled, some of Arian's voice mixing in with his as he stepped away from me.

I glanced between them as Mike approached me and worried about the amount of tension in the air around me. I was missing something again. Mike paused before me, waiting until I gave him my full attention. He tilted his head to the side and looked at me. "Interesting," he said quietly before he lowered his head towards me. I held still as he skimmed his beak along my body, the smooth hard surface grazing me from neck to my belly. Christophe growled a curse behind me and a burst of intuition filled me. He was possessive over me and didn't like Mike being this close, touching me. "She is clear," Mike said as he stepped back though his voice was a little huskier than it had been.

Suddenly, Christophe pulled me against him and buried his face in my neck as he dragged me further from Mike. "What the hell?" I exclaimed in irritation has he growled loudly in my ear.

I turned to glare at him and Arian boldly met my glare. "Mine," he said possessively as he tightened his hold on me. He lowered his head to my neck again and inhaled deeply. Then I felt his lips graze my skin before he lightly bit the junction of my neck and shoulder. My body fell limp in his arms as every muscle relaxed at the touch. Mike watched us with an edge in his eyes that put me on edge. Feeling the tension in my body, Arian growled as he shoved me behind him and stalked towards Mike. The two of them circled one another before Mike shook his head and hissed out, "Clear." He shifted without warning and the two of them glared at each other.

My irritation spiked. First with the possessiveness and now the sudden shifting and posturing. Sometimes men were so stupid. I spun and stalked towards the kitchen door. "A warning next time would be nice," I yelled over my shoulder as I yanked the door open and slammed shut behind me, effectively locking out the testosterone. I shivered in the cool air and stomped towards my room. I needed a shower and using all the hot water in the place seemed like a good idea. The guys needed a cold shower to cool their hot heads before I decided to find a frying pan and take it to their thick skulls for them.

* * *

A few minutes after Ariel stormed into the manor, I was finally able to wrestle control back from Arian. I shook my head and glared at Mike. "That wasn't necessary" I groused in irritation.

He gave a short bark of laughter. "Just like how Arian can take control, so can Farrar," he said with a humorless chuckle.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What was he so interested in?" I asked as I turned to open the door. I stepped inside and turned to look at Mike as he picked up his clothes and pulled them on. He closed the door with a foot once he had his jeans on. "I wish I knew," he sighed as he brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"How do you not know?" I asked with a roll of my eyes.

Mike glared at me. "I can't read my own mind or Farrar's. Just as Arian can keep things from you, so can Farrar with me. There was something about her that interested him and I don't know what it was."

"I believe you," I said as I held up my hands to ward off his irritation. "I'm not entirely sure why Arian reacted like that either," I murmured with a sigh. "It sucks being bonded to such dominant males sometimes, doesn't it?"

Mike nodded in agreement. I pulled off my wet shirt and opened the fridge, hungry. I pulled out a pan of leftover lasagna and began to reheat it. Just as I pulled the heated food out of the microwave, lightning struck nearby, and the lights flickered before snapping off. I paused as a sense of foreboding filled me. A quick glance at Mike confirmed that he felt it too. I summoned Arian's senses and stretched them out. The house was eerily quiet while the storm outside really began to rage.

I set the plate down silently and ghosted down the hall and up the stairs with Mike right behind me. I glanced out the windows as I passed them, still sure to remain out of sight from anyone looking in. I made my way to Ariel's room and slipped inside without a sound; Mike close behind me. A quick glance around showed me that Ariel's anger had been taken out on her clothes as I bit back a smile at their scattered pattern. I could smell the scent of her body wash as the steam from the bathroom drifted into the main room through the cracked door. The sounds of Ariel muttering to herself about cavemen made Arian growl in pride at his strong mate. He pushed forward as his hearing picked up a faint sound from outside. The horses were uneasy. Someone was here.

"She didn't just track us," I whispered to Mike as my body tensed. "She led them right to us."

Mike paled and looked at the window. "Shit," he cursed just as the windows erupted as Ariel stepped out of the bathroom fully dressed.

I launched myself at Ariel and picked her up as I carried her back into the bathroom with Mike hot on my heels. "What in the hell?" Ariel cried as I threw us through the bathroom window and out into the harsh storm. I didn't answer as I let Arian loose to catch our freefall. The shift came swiftly, one moment falling and the next we were soaring upwards. I felt a brief moment of joy as our magic wrapped around Ariel and a faint answer of magic brushed against us before the sounds of hunting screams filled the air. I heard Farrar's feathered wingbeat behind us and urged Arian to fly faster and higher.

"What is going on?" Ariel demanded as she gripped my talons and curled into our warmth, away from the rain.

"We were betrayed," Arian growled harshly.

Ariel sighed in aggravation, as if his statement were the most obvious thing in the world, but she didn't push for more information yet. She mindlessly traced patterns across our chest, her body radiating nervous energy. Arian hummed in pleasure at her touch before growling when she stopped at the sound. He wanted more of her soft touch and I had to admit that I did as well. Ariel smirked up at me when Arian looked at her, pleading without saying he wanted her touch. Minx, I thought. She knew what she was doing. Arian shook his head in aggravation as a chuffing laugh came from our right where Farrar flew beside us.

Arian growled before focusing on flying. We made our way east, soaring over the English Channel and over western Europe. The storm seemed to follow us for a while before we broke out of it and into clearer skies. Ariel drifted to sleep at some point while we passed over Germany and we held her closer as the temperature began to drop as we crossed into Russia. Finally, Farrar banked and dove for a clearing in the thick dark forests. We landed and laid down beside each other with Ariel carefully sleeping between us. We laid our wings over each other, creating a small but warm shelter for her. Neither of us were willing to risk shifting forms but we did switch off with our beasts so that we could get some rest. I knew that I was still healing from the astral blast that Lucifer had thrown at me but that was the least of my concerns. Someone had betrayed us which meant that Lucifer had penetrated our defenses and had someone on the inside. The game was getting harder and harder. Arian growled in my thoughts. They would pay for this with their lives, he insisted, and I had to agree. But first we had to keep Ariel safe. With that thought, I let my mind wander as settled in for some rest while I could get it.

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_**A/N:** _ **Well here it is, the first chapter of the second "book" in Ariel and Christophe's adventure. Please rate and review. I really do love hearing back from you all and knowing that you do like the story. Hopefully, I can keep posting each week. Until next week...**


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